Week 23

Days 155 to 161 · 22 weeks 0 days to 22 weeks 6 days old · about 5 months This week your baby is, on average, about 65 cm (25.5 in) long and weighs around 7.3 kg (16 lb). Babies vary widely, and what matters is that yours keeps following their own curve on the growth chart. Many babies can now sit propped up for a little while, and they watch faces, hands and food with real interest. Some are beginning to notice that not everyone is a familiar person. For you, the days may have found a rough rhythm, even if the nights still come and go. The next four weeks are mostly about food: getting ready to offer solids at around 6 months, once your baby shows the signs. This week covers sitting, how solids fit alongside milk, sun safety, stranger awareness, eczema and choosing a safe high chair.

Day 155 · 22 weeks 0 days old

Your baby is learning to sit, with a little help

Sitting is a whole-body skill. Your baby needs a steady head, a strong back and the balance to shift their weight without toppling. Over the past weeks, tummy time, rolling and reaching have been building exactly those muscles. Around 4 to 6 months, many babies can sit with support: propped on your lap, held loosely at the hips, or leaning forward on their own hands in what is called a tripod sit. Their back may still curve and they will tip sideways after a few seconds. Sitting steadily without any help usually comes somewhere between 6 and 8 months, and some babies take longer. All of that is normal. If your baby was born early, think in terms of corrected age.

You can help by giving practice in short, playful bursts. Sit on the floor with your legs in a V and your baby between them, facing out, with a toy in front. Your legs catch the wobbles. A firm cushion behind works too, as long as you stay right there.

Seated devices that hold a baby upright do not teach sitting, and they should never be used up on a table, sofa or counter. Floor time, with you nearby, does more.

Try this: Spend five minutes today with your baby sitting in the V of your legs, and offer a toy just off to one side so they practise reaching and rebalancing.

Day 156 · 22 weeks 1 day old

Milk stays the main food for a while yet

You may be hearing about first foods from every direction now. Before the spoons come out, it helps to know where solids fit. For the first few months of eating, food is mostly about learning: new tastes, new textures, chewing, swallowing and sitting at a table. Breast milk or formula still provides most of your baby's nutrition until close to the first birthday.

That means you do not need to cut back on feeds when solids begin. Keep offering the breast or bottle as you do now, and let your baby take as much as they want. Over the coming months, as they eat more food, they will gradually drink a little less on their own. If you are breastfeeding, your supply will follow that change. If you use formula, stay with infant formula for the whole first year.

As you read a few weeks ago, most babies are ready for solids at around 6 months, and never before 4 months. Watch your baby, not the calendar. If your baby was born early, ask their doctor or nurse when to start, as the answer depends on their corrected age and development.

There is no race. A baby who starts a week or two later than a friend's baby loses nothing.

Try this: Over the next feed or two, notice how your baby watches you eat. Interest in your food is one of the early signs that solids are on the way.

Day 157 · 22 weeks 2 days old

Shade is your baby's best sunscreen

A baby's skin is thin and burns quickly, even on cloudy or cool days. Babies also overheat more easily than adults, because they sweat less and cannot move themselves out of the sun.

Under 6 months, the main advice is to keep your baby out of direct sun as much as possible. Use shade from trees, buildings and umbrellas, and plan outings for the morning or late afternoon when the sun is weaker. Dress them in light, loose clothing that covers arms and legs, and a wide-brimmed hat that shades the face, ears and neck. Sunscreen is not recommended as the first choice at this age, but if shade and clothing are not possible, a small amount of a baby sunscreen on exposed areas is better than a burn. From 6 months, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher on any skin you cannot cover, and reapply every two hours.

Do not drape a blanket over the stroller to block the sun. It traps heat and stops air from moving. Use a ventilated sunshade instead. Never leave your baby in a parked car, even for a minute.

Get help right away if your baby is very hot, unusually sleepy, floppy, vomiting or hard to wake after time in the sun or heat.

Try this: Check your stroller and car for a breathable sunshade before the next warm day, and pack a sun hat in the diaper bag.

Day 158 · 22 weeks 3 days old

Your baby is starting to know who is who

You may notice a new look on your baby's face when a stranger leans in close: a long, serious stare, a frozen pause, perhaps a wobbly lip. A month ago they might have smiled at anyone. Now they are beginning to tell familiar faces from unfamiliar ones.

This stranger awareness often starts around now and grows stronger between about 6 and 9 months. Some babies show it early and loudly, others barely at all. It does not mean your baby is shy, spoiled or that something has gone wrong. It means their memory and understanding of people are growing. They now know who their important people are, and they would like to keep them close.

You can make it easier by letting your baby warm up from the safety of your arms. Ask friendly visitors to talk to you first, smile, and wait for your baby to look toward them before reaching out. A grandparent who has not visited for a while may need the same patience as a stranger, which can feel a little hurtful. Explain that it is a stage, not a judgement.

Separation, the upset when you leave, usually follows a little later. You will read more about it after the 6-month mark.

Try this: Next time someone new meets your baby, hold your baby facing outward and chat with the visitor for a minute before any handing over.

Day 159 · 22 weeks 4 days old

Eczema needs moisture, and lots of it

Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is common in babies. It shows up as dry, rough, red patches that may itch, often on the cheeks, scalp, forehead and the outer arms and legs. The diaper area is usually spared. It tends to come and go, with flare-ups and calmer spells.

The cornerstone of care is moisturizing. Use a thick, fragrance-free cream or ointment at least twice a day, smoothing it on generously in the direction of hair growth, even when the skin looks clear. Keep baths short and lukewarm, pat dry and moisturize straight away. Choose soft cotton and keep nails short.

If moisturizing is not enough, your baby's doctor may suggest a mild steroid cream for flare-ups. Used as directed, these are safe and effective. Do not cut foods from your baby's diet, or your own, to treat eczema without medical advice.

Babies with eczema, especially when it starts early or is severe, are more likely to develop food allergies. That makes the early introduction of common allergens, covered in week 25, especially important for them. Call your baby's doctor if the eczema is weeping, crusted, blistered, very painful or spreading fast, if your baby has a fever with a flare, or if itching is disturbing their sleep night after night.

Try this: Keep a tub of moisturizer by the change table so it becomes part of every diaper change.

Day 160 · 22 weeks 5 days old

A safe high chair makes every meal easier

Your baby will soon spend part of every day in a high chair, so it is worth choosing and using one well. A good chair holds your baby upright and steady, which makes swallowing safer and leaves their hands free to explore food.

Look for a wide, stable base that does not tip easily, a five-point harness with straps over the shoulders, around the waist and between the legs, and a footrest. A footrest matters more than it seems: babies sit and chew better when their feet are supported. A tray that comes off and wipes clean will save your patience. Second-hand chairs are fine if all the parts, straps and locks are present and work, and the model has not been recalled. Use the harness every time, even for a quick snack, because babies can slide down or climb out surprisingly fast. Place the chair away from walls, counters and tables that little feet can push against. Keep hot drinks, cords and sharp objects out of reach. And never leave your baby alone in the chair, not even to answer the door.

Feed your baby upright in the high chair or on your lap, not reclining in a bouncer, car seat or stroller.

Try this: Set up the high chair this week and let your baby sit in it for a few minutes with a spoon to hold while you eat, before any food is involved.

Day 161 · 22 weeks 6 days old

Gather a few simple things and skip the rest

Starting solids does not need much equipment. A high chair, a couple of soft-tipped baby spoons, an easy-to-clean bowl or plate, a few bibs with sleeves or a catch pocket, and a small open cup cover almost everything. A wipeable mat or an old shower curtain under the chair will make cleanup faster. You do not need special baby food makers. A fork, a potato masher or a blender you already own will do. An ice cube tray and freezer bags are handy for storing small portions. Ready-made baby foods are fine too, if they suit your family. Check the label for added salt and sugar, and treat squeeze pouches as an occasional convenience rather than the main way your baby eats, so they still learn to manage a spoon and real textures. Families that eat mostly plant-based foods can raise babies well too, but iron, protein, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fats need extra planning. A dietitian or your baby's doctor can help you make a plan.

This week is a good time to think about the approach you want to try, which you will read about in week 24. You do not have to decide everything in advance.

For your partner: Take charge of the shopping list for the first-foods kit this week, and set up a corner of the kitchen for bibs, spoons and cloths so everything is in one place.